Dime Novel, the latest edition of Field Notes, is slightly larger
than the standard format, giving me just a little more page space, and the
pages are blank, making them ideal for sketching. In addition, the 70-pound white
paper holds up to most of the sketching media I typically use – brush pen, graphite,
colored pencil (though not my favorite Sailor fude fountain pen). It can even
take a light swipe from a waterbrush. And with more pages than a standard Field
Notes, I could stay longer on Gilligan’s Island. (You can read my full review
of Dime Novel on the Well-Appointed Desk.)
I decided to put the Dime Novel to the test.

With creamy white paper, it’s tempting to take along colored
pencils – but then, of course, I’d need several colors. I could grab a single
brush pen – that would be minimal. But “minimal” isn’t just about the number of
implements – it’s also about simplicity. What’s the simplest, most basic
sketching tool I have?

Last Sunday, a lovely sunny day, I walked up to Maple
Leaf Park with nothing but the Dime Novel and one Blackwing. As much as I love exploring lots of different media,
sometimes all I need is paper and pencil.